Western Saddle Blog » Saddle Parts

Quarter Horse Bars?

Saddle Sense — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:30:35 +0000

The tree is the foundation of the saddle and it’s job is to distribute the rider’s weight over the horse’s back, making it more efficient and comfortable for the horse. A tree consists of five basic parts – the two bars that run parallel, the fork that holds the bars together at the front, the [...]

Quarter Horse Bars? is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

Know Your Silver

Saddle Sense — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:15:06 +0000

Silver is the metal of tradition and choice for saddle decoration and to draw the judge’s attention to you and your horse in the competition ring. However, just because your saddle has silvery metal on the skirt or horn doesn’t mean that it’s really silver. Before you buy a saddle with “silver,” make sure you [...]

Know Your Silver is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

Rope Strap: Attaching It To The Saddle

Saddle Sense — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:47:40 +0000

I’ve had a few questions about the rope strap and how it attaches to the saddle. So I asked my friend and Dillon, Montana-based saddle maker, Ross Miller, to provide some more in-depth information. From Ross: A typical cross-over rope strap is between 36″ and 48″ long, based on riders preference. A good standard is [...]

Rope Strap: Attaching It To The Saddle is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

Blevins Buckles

Saddle Sense — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:26:33 +0000

The length of stirrup leathers are adjusted with the use of “quick change” buckles on most modern saddles. The old timers had to struggle with leather laces that made changing the lengths for different riders a real chore. The most popular quick change buckle is the Blevins buckle. The Blevins buckle has a leather-covered sleeve [...]

Blevins Buckles is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

The Rope Strap

Saddle Sense — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:47:04 +0000

I recently received an email from a reader asking about a strap attached to the fork on an old saddle he recently bought. He wasn’t sure what it was and what it was used for. This strap is a saddle rope strap. It’s a narrow strip of leather about 3/4 of an inch wide that [...]

The Rope Strap is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

Cinch Connecting Strap

Saddle Sense — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:43:40 +0000

The cinch connecting strap (also called a cinch hobble) connects the front cinch and flank cinch together. This is a small, but important, piece of equipment on double rigged saddles. Without this piece, the flank cinch can slip backwards into the horse’s flank and convert your well-mannered horse into a bucking bronc. You should never [...]

Cinch Connecting Strap is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

Sheepskin 101

Saddle Sense — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:50:30 +0000

The sheepskin lining on the underside ofÂ the saddle skirts has a dual purpose. It provides extra cushion between the saddle and the horse, and it also helps to keep the saddle blanket or pad in place. Sheepskin first started appearing on western saddles around 1880. The extensive amount of sheep in the American west [...]

Sheepskin 101 is a post from: Western Saddle Blog

Stirrup Leathers: Full or Half?

Saddle Sense — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:31:20 +0000

The stirrup leathers are long straps that attach the stirrups to the saddle tree. Traditionally stirrup leathers have always been “full,” meaning the straps went from the tree all the way down to the stirrups. It is another layer of leather under the fender. This style makes for the strongest and most durable construction. It [...]

Stirrup Leathers: Full or Half? is a post from: Western Saddle Blog